Big South girls quarterfinals: Wave, Raiders, Jags easily advance

Phillip Gardner

Monday

Feb 18, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 18, 2013 at 9:49 PM

GASTONIA — North Gaston gave Ashbrook two scares during the regular season, but the Green Wave had no problem in the third meeting, running past the Wildcats 60-37 to open the Big South 3A Conference girls basketball tournament Monday.

Brooke Moore had 22 points, five rebounds and five steals, and Ashbrook took charge in the third quarter to advance to Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal against top-seeded and host Crest.

Logan Carter (17 points, four assists, four rebounds, four steals) and Alexis Wallace (10 points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals) also played big roles for the Green Wave.

Ashbrook (17-6) was coming off a short turnaround from Friday’s win at Hunter Huss and couldn’t practice Saturday because some players were scheduled to take the SAT. Those factors might have contributed to a slow start, but the Green Wave eventually turned its defense into easy scoring opportunities.

“We went back to a press that we were used to doing and they started getting after it and anticipating those passes,” Ashbrook coach Juan Smith said of the second half. “Even if we didn’t get them, they knocked them down.”

The defensive pressure was most evident when Ashbrook denied North Gaston a field goal attempt in the final three minutes of the third quarter. The Green Wave forced seven turnovers during that stretch and scored on seven of eight possessions to storm to an overwhelming 49-22 lead entering the fourth quarter.

North Gaston finished with 25 turnovers and shot 26.8 percent (11-for-41) from the field.

“Ashbrook is always tough,” North Gaston head coach Anna Slentz said. “They get after it all the time. I feel like we got down a little bit mentally.”

The result put a damper on a return to the bench for Slentz, who missed 11 games while on maternity leave and hadn’t coached since the Dec. 20 game against Forestview. Assistant Apryl Smith filled in as head coach during that time.

“She did a fantastic job,” Slentz said. “The team is lucky to have her.”

Jamie Staley scored 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Wildcats, who finished their season at 9-13. Janay Polk scored seven and Yontyanna Melvin had five rebounds for North Gaston.

The Wildcats had lost to Ashbrook in overtime in the first meeting and led the rematch by 11 at halftime before losing by 15.

South Point 76, Kings Mountain 51 — Ashley Mull had 17 assists to go with her 12 points as third-seeded South Point won big in its Big South tournament opener against the sixth-seeded Mountaineers.

The senior guard recorded many of her assists on layups as South Point got its transition game in gear.

“We were running the floor pretty good in the first half,” South Point coach Scott Tudor said. “That’s one thing we worked on Friday: more movement.”

Chrissy White added 20 points and four assists while Blair Griffin scored eight for the Red Raiders (19-4), who advanced to Wednesday’s 6 p.m. semifinal against second-seeded Forestview. That game will take place at Crest.

Monique Petty scored 24 to lead Kings Mountain, which ended its season at 9-14.